


Place your head on my beating hearts

by everythingisconnected



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Bubble Bath, Childhood Friends, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hair Brushing, Holding Hands, Idiots in Love, Kissing, Post-Episode: s12e10 The Timeless Children, Telepathy, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24761056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingisconnected/pseuds/everythingisconnected
Summary: The Doctor, the Master, a bathtub and domesticity.
Relationships: The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 78





	Place your head on my beating hearts

**Author's Note:**

> just a fluffy drabble bc they deserve happiness

This was the most relaxed the Doctor had felt since - she didn’t even remember.

But now, how could she even trust what she remembered?

That was a problem for later. They were going to work this out, together.

Now was the time for a well-deserved rest.

The TARDIS had kindly provided a large bathtub in a new room, albeit rather reluctantly, since the Master was on board, and the old girl had quite a grudge against him since he’d made her into a paradox machine.

It awakened feelings buried deep in her hearts. Feelings she hadn’t felt since she was a young boy, at the academy, in love with his best friend. 

And somehow, after all those thousands of years, they continued to find each other, like their hearts were magnetised. 

It’d also been that long since she’d last seen the Master look genuinely happy. Looking at him now, leaning back against her chest, eyes shut contently; it was a sight she’d missed dearly.

She absentmindedly carded fingers through his damp hair, the other hand holding his. By now she’d lost track of how long they’d been lying here, amongst the bubbles. Luckily the bathtub had some special alien features that involved never allowing the water to get cold or the bubbles to disappear.

“Alright,” she said. “Shampoo?”

“If you mess up my hair,” the Master looked up at her, frowning. “You’re dead.”

“I thought we were past that,” the Doctor rolled her eyes fondly. “You’re closest, so pass it to me.”

He sighed, reluctantly moving away from her to lean towards the end of the bathtub. The Doctor caught the bottle he tossed behind him, and he was instantly back in her arms like he couldn’t bear not to be.

When she started massaging the liquid through his hair, the Master almost keened, arching towards her instinctively. She watched fondly as a soft smile tugged at his lips. Her hands moved briefly to the sides of his face, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“I’ve missed this,” the Doctor whispered, combing her fingers back through his hair. The Master’s eyes opened, looking back up into hers.

“Me too,” his eyes slid shut again. “Takes me back to when we were kids, and you were pining over me.”

The Doctor scoffed. “I wouldn’t say pining-”

“You were.”

“Was not.”

“Shut it, Theta,” he frowned up at her again. “You were so painfully obvious.”

“You and I must remember our childhood completely differently,” the Doctor muttered, still continuing to idly play with his hair. 

“Yours being wrong, as per usual.”

“Keep this up and I’ll stop,” the Doctor smirked, pulling her hands away from his hair.

“Hey, you can’t threaten me like that for telling the truth,” the Master rolled over, giving her a ridiculous pout. 

“Try and stop me,” the Doctor raised an eyebrow, but was soon caught off guard. She yelped as the Master grabbed her shoulders, submerging her underwater.

Seconds later, she emerged, gasping and spluttering. “Koschei, you son of a-”

“Ooh, language, Doctor.” He rightfully received a slap for that comment.

“Why did I fall for an annoying idiot?” the Doctor sat up, still glaring at him.

“You fell for someone who knows how to wind you up,” the Master smirked. “Now turn around.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Ugh, fine,” she turned around, and was met with a pair of hands gently pulling her backwards to lean against a firm body.

Then she felt fingers in her hair, massaging the shampoo into it. She tilted her head back, trying to hold back a smile. Sure, they bickered like an old married couple, but they also loved each other more than anyone else in the universe.

“Hey,” the Doctor whispered, hand on the Master’s leg. “Where’d you get that? It’s huge.”

The Master chuckled, moving his hands from her hair down to her shoulders and arms, just running his fingers over her skin.

“Doctor, if I told you, your hearts would break.” Luckily she couldn’t see the drop in his expression as he talked about the scar. 

“Gallifrey?”

“Yes.”

The Doctor sighed deeply. She took his hand, and held it in hers. They lay together for a few moments, in a rather depressing silence.

She turned on her side, curling against his chest. The Master held her close, burying his face in her hair, and squeezing his eyes shut. The Doctor let her own eyes close, listening to the soft beating of his hearts in her ears.

_Contact._

The Doctor smiled to herself when she felt his presence in her head.

_Contact._

_Can we stay like this?_

It reminded her of the times when they were young, they’d spend hours lying in bed cuddling because they just couldn't stand to let each other go. She hadn’t realised how much she’d missed those days. 

_For as long as you like._

_My dear Doctor, if I had my way, we’d stay like this forever. Don’t tempt me._

_You’ve gotten all mushy._

_Would you rather me stop?_

_Don’t you dare._

-

Once dried, the Master’s hair looked something akin to a poofy mess. The Doctor couldn’t help but laugh, and ran her hands through it as he pouted at the mirror.

“I refuse to leave the TARDIS looking like _this_.”

“Come here,” she picked up a brush, held his cheek and brushed it through his hair. He frowned for a second, morphing into a smile when their eyes met. She knew exactly the style he liked.

He turned back to the mirror, grinning when he saw his perfectly brushed hair. “Back to looking like my handsome self.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “I don’t look too bad either.”

“Your hair is unbrushed, love. You’re going to go out like _that_?”

“Hey, I look perfectly fine.”

“I know, I know, but just let me-” he took the brush from her hands, combing it through a reluctant Doctor’s hair. “-there.”

He stood back and admired his work.

She sighed and looked in the mirror, eyes widening when she saw how good it looked.

“Wow, OK, I look good,” she grinned widely. 

“I’m good at hair styling. Got some practise in my last body.”

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer,” she turned to him, their eyes meeting again. This time she cupped his cheek, leaned forward and softly kissed his lips.

The Master smiled into the kiss, instantly kissing back, feeling their minds connect again. He could get used to this.

It was the life both of them had always wished for when they were young, and this time he wouldn’t mess it up.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments always appreciated <3


End file.
